1. Field of the Invention
The apparatus of the present invention relates to transilluminator devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a neonatal transilluminator device using multiple LED lights with varying wavelengths which provides the location of veins of neonates or dark skinned adults.
2. General Background of the Invention
In the field of locating hard-to-find veins beneath the skin, a device has been developed which is defined as a transcutaneous illuminating apparatus which included a housing having a source of electrical energy provided therein, a support removably mounted on one end of the housing having a plurality of arms pivotally supported thereby at their proximate ends, each of the arms having mounted on its distal end illuminating lights, an electrical circuit including the source of power and the illuminating lights, a switch for selectively completing the circuit between the illuminating lights and the source of electrical energy thereby activating the illuminating lights, and rheostats provided in the circuit for selectively varying the intensity of each of the illuminating lights. This device, entitled “Transcutaneous intravenous illuminator” was originally patented under U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,249 in 1986. The '249 patent was reissued as RE 33,234. Additionally, the present inventor patented an ornamental design for an instrument for viewing subcutaneous venous structures, as design Pat. No. 362,910. These devices, although suitable for certain adults, are not user friendly when trying to examine newborn infants.